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Former Cabinet Minister Dalmas Otieno is dead
07th September, 2025 01:17 PM
Former Cabinet Minister for Public Service, Dalmas Otieno, passed away on Sunday, August 7, 2025.
The news has been confirmed by his son, Eddy, who announced that his father, who served as a minister in both President Daniel Arap Moi’s and Mwai Kibaki’s cabinets, died at his Karen home.
According to the son, the former Member of Parliament (MP) for Rongo Constituency succumbed to pressure-related complications.
The family is yet to release further details, but the loss marks the end of a significant chapter in Kenya’s political history and in the Migori County political arena, especially in the Rongo constituency, where he served as an MP.
Political career
Otieno’s political career mirrored the ebbs and flows of Kenya’s and Migori’s shifting political tides.
He entered national politics in 1988 under controversial circumstances, reportedly rigged in as Rongo MP on a KANU ticket, replacing his cousin, Linus Aluoch Polo alias Polo Piach, a Ford Kenya stalwart.
Despite this turbulent beginning, Otieno quickly rose through the ranks, earning a cabinet position under President Daniel arap Moi. His technocratic competence and calm demeanour earned him the moniker, ” Wacho gi Gitimo(loosely translated as saying and actioning”.
Family line
Before his death, Otieno had lost one of his wives last year and was currently living with another wife, Dorothy Otieno, a former County public service minister in Homabay County and now a UDA member, who is eyeing the Migori County woman rep seat.
His family is a political one. It recalled that at the onset of the devolved system of government, one of his son’s Frederick Otieno Alias Nyang, contested for the Migori gubernatorial elections on an independent party ticket and lost to Zachary Okoth Obado of PDP then.
Otieno’s death marks the end of an era for a man who straddled both autocracy and democracy with measured composure.
Several leaders, led by Governor Ayacko, Migori MPs Paul About( Rongo), Walter Owino (Awendo), and former MP Edick Anyanga, paid tribute to him.
They eulogised Otieno as a polished administrator who was principled in politics and prayed to God to grant family strength and fortitude to overcome the grief.
Many more condolences still poured in as the news filtered through social media realms.
